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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGolf Board - Minutes - 02/09/2000City of Fort Collins Cultural, Library, and Recreational Services Golf Board Minutes: Regular Meeting of February 9, 2000 City Council Liaison to the Board: Councilman Bill Bertschy Board Chairperson: Mike Sanders — 226.4545 (w) or 226.2627 (h) Staff Support to the Board: Jerry P. Brown, Manager of Golf„at 221.6350, and Jackie Rael, Executive Administrative Assistant. Call Meeting to Order: Chairperson Mike Sanders called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Agenda Review: No changes to the printed agenda. Items of Note: Jerry P. Brown advised the Board that there has not been an appointment to the Board for Mike Hall's replacement. Council could make an appointment at their next meeting. Approval of Minutes: On a motion by Tom White, seconded by Henry Fry, the Board voted unanimously ( 7-0) to approve the minutes of the January 19, 2000 meeting. Citizen Participation: Donna Stroh reported to the Board that she is organizing a fundraiser for Matt and Julie Bryant who have a son who was born three months premature. The event will be held at the Sunset Nightclub on Sunday, February 27. Tickets are $20 per person. There will also be a silent auction. She explained that this is a community event, and 100 percent of the proceeds will go to Julie and Matt. Children are welcome. There will be pizza and pop for the kids. Donations are welcome if you can't make this event, and you can send donations to, or buy tickets at any of the three City golf courses. Sean Duff of the Colorado spoke as a private citizen. He is a member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame selection committee. Bill Metier was nominated for the Hall of Fame several years ago, but wasn't selected. There is only one Hall of Fame person (Spike Baker) from Northern Colorado. Sean suggested that if Board members feel there is someone in our area that should be nominated for the Hall of Fame, write a letter to the Committee. Mailing address is: Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, 7465 East First Avenue, Unit C, Denver, CO 80220. Board and Staff Preliminary Discussion and the Possible Development of A Planning Schedule for a Potential New Public Golf Course in Fort Collins by 2005 Jerry P. Brown referenced a memorandum he wrote to the Board describing the number of municipal golf courses in the community and the private golf clubs in the area. The National Golf Foundation has historically used a measurement standard of 30,000 population per each 18- hole regulation length golf course. Link-N-Greens should probably be included in the mix of golf courses even though it is not a regulation length course. Jerry recalled discussion of another new golf course for many years. Prior to SouthRidge, the City performed a feasibility study in Golf Board Minutes February 9, 2000 Page 2 1979 for a new course at Pine Ridge. The Pine Ridge site was purchased in 1976 as open space land. When SouthRidge was started in 1981, any discussion of Pine Ridge was put on the shelf. SouthRidge was opened in 1984 and the City refinanced the debt for SouthRidge in 1986, and then took over operation in 1991. As time went on, we started thinking of an additional course. The City said Pine Ridge would remain an open space. In the meantime there were many courses that opened in the tri-city area. Until the SouthRidge debt is paid (2002), there isn't any reason to pursue a new course. In 1995, when the community was developing our next capital projects list, golf was not included on the list at that time; and the Council directed the Golf Fund to be fully self-supporting after the SouthRidge debt was paid in 2002. The cost of a new golf course could be $5,000,000 to $8,000,000 and we will need approximately 150 acres. It could be possible that the City of Fort Collins itself may or may not be interested in providing an additional golf course, or we could use a private/public partnership or a public/public partnership. We could also encourage the construction of a private golf course, or encourage another public entity to build an additional course. There are several mechanisms of funding an additional golf course. Jerry said that the Board, if they support this need, will have to ask Council for their approval for us to go forth. Mike Sanders then opened the discussion to the Board. Byrd Curtis said that in a discussion he had with City Manager John Fischbach, he asked if the City could use a golf course as an open space? Byrd said that John Fischbach said that it could possibly be done. Mike said that we could possibly have 300 acres of land and use the center of the open space as a golf course. Karen Joslin-Aured asked if the land has to be within the City limits or in the UGA? Jerry replied that it should at least be in the UGA. Bill Rutledge said that there are all sorts of ways an architect could develop a course with open space and wildlife surrounding it. He added there is multiple domains on golf course properties and room for compromise. Bill referred to Marianna Butte and the use of the golf course as it is built around the river. Multiple uses are an integral part of our society. Karen said that land could preserve the construction of commercial space in a 200-300 acre plot. Henry Fry said that Colorado State University owns land. Mike noted that the RAM Masters Booster Club was formed to support the CSU golf teams and to look for a new golf course on CSU property. It would be a measurable benefit to the golf teams at CSU to have their own course. The RAM Masters two years ago started looking for sites and it was hoped that the University could use land they have and find a developer. It could be a good function with support of the curriculum of the turf program and the hoteVrestaurant management programs at CSU to work in tandem with the development of this golf course. Mike said that the creative revenue sources that we can use to come up with the money could make this work as we will be a full Enterprise Fund as of 2003. Bill asked that if we are an Enterprise Fund, as the Utilities, do we still have to get approval from the City? Jerry said ves and explained the process of the Enterprise Funds within the City. Bill asked if the Utilities could request the Council to issue bonds? Jerry replied yes, and further stated that we (Golf Fund) have not asked the voters yet to be "de-Bruced". Bill said that is the key to expansion. Jerry said the issue of fees and charges is one of concern because the golfers would probably have to pay for the burden of the new course. Each additional $1 per 9-hole round can generate another $180,000 per year. Karen asked if play is off during economic downs in the community? Golf Board Minutes February 9, 2000 Page 3 Jerry said in the past 20 years, he has not experienced a prolonged down time in golf due to economics, only weather. Byrd asked if we do need another course? Mike said there has been two or three private sector businesses that have entertained the idea of developing a course in Northern Colorado. He said when developers are looking towards development, they tend to think of Fort Collins, Loveland, and Greeley as one community. Mike further mentioned that he understands that Link-N-Greens may be under an option of a developer and if that materializes that could possibly take away golfing holes in Fort Collins. Bill asked if the City of Fort Collins has any ownership in Link- N-Greens? Jerry said no. Mike said we are not in a crisis right now. However, if we look at the next five years, we could be in a crunch for public golf courses. Randy Bonneville asked if the Board wants a new course? Randy thinks we need one in the next five years. He thinks that working with the City's inventory of land could be tough. Teaming up with another entity would bother him, and he said that the difficult part of a CSU partnership is the ownership issue and who would have exclusive management. SouthRidge was designed to operate on 45,000 rounds a year and last year we played 52,000 rounds. Bill said that the community and area continues to grow and it is more economically feasible for the public to golf on public courses. Very few people can afford to join a private club to golf. Mike asked if there is anyone on the Board who doesn't think we have a need for additional golf in Fort Collins? All agreed that we do need an additional facility in the next five years. Dale Smigelsky said that during prime times there are not tee times available. The ecological system is affected when the courses are over used. There is only so much play and the golf course cannot recover if they never go into a rest period. The Golf Pros all said that we are turning away people in the prime times and prime months of the year. The estimated population growth for Fort Collins in the next five years is at least an additional 15,000 people, and based on statistics, over 1,000 of those people will be golfers. Dan Bruns thinks five years is too far away and that we should try to do this sooner. Jerry said that the Council may decide to go to a vote of the people on a new course. Dale said that the land that CSU has near Christman Field is 550 acres. He foresees a problem if the City gets involved as other City entities could curtail the development of a golf course on the land. Tom White asked how long it takes to construct a golf course? Randy replied 12 to 18 months and it depends on the land. Mike stated that the population we should use in Fort Collins is at least 163,000 if you add in the immediate surrounding area not in the City limits. If you take the tri cities, it is 400,000 people. On a motion by Henry Fry, seconded by Byrd Curtis, the Board unanimously concurred (no formal vote was taken) to proceed with exploring the possibility of the development of a new public golf course in Fort Collins. The ecology factor is a big issue in this decision. The Board would like to ask the City Council for permission to move forward to study the need for an additional golf course. The Board would like to be proactive in the development of a new course and would like permission to identify potential available land and to study a financial planning option package for an opening no later than 2005. Golf Board Minutes February 9, 2000 Page 4 Other Business • Bill Rutledge would like to pass a compliment on to the City's Forestry staff. They have done an excellent job in City Park Nine priming the trees. • Collindale Irrigation Project -- Doug Evans updated the Board and reported that the contractor is moving along faster than we anticipated. • Golf Carts and Winter Use -- Jerry advised the golf superintendents that if the carts are wearing down certain areas, to prohibit the carts at their own discretion. Derek Cordova said they are going to enact the 90-degree rule at SouthRidge. • SouthRidge Land Acquisition — Jerry reported that the City has hired an appraiser and in March we should have an appraisal and by April the owner should make a decision. • Jerry distributed a copy of the donors in the past two years to Fort Collins Fore Kids. Jerry asked if there is anyone on the list who we shouldn't send a letter. Mike Sanders will write a "soft sell" letter to the previous donors and ask for new donations. • Jerry said that every month we provide statistical information. He asked the Board if providing this report quarterly instead of every month would be acceptable to them? The Board all agreed that quarterly would be fine. • Frank Blanco asked if the bottom line figure on the annual pass revenues includes the Surcharge? Jerry said it did not as it shows separately on the Surcharge line. Adjournment — On a motion by Karen Joslin-Aured, seconded by Henry Fry, the Board voted to adjourn at 8:55 p.m. Meeting Attendance Board Members Frank Blanco Byrd Curtis Henry Fry Karen Joslin-Aured Bill Rutledge Mike Sanders Tom White Staff Randy Bonneville Jerry P. Brown . Dan Bruns Derek Cordova Doug Evans Jim Greer Jackie Rael Dale Smigelsky Respectfully submitted, Jackie Rael Executive Administrative Assistant Sean Duff Rich Murphy Charlie Ogren Patrick Quadrel John Schuh Donna Stroh